6 Things Every Successful Entrepreneur Has in Common With You

Forget luck or a "secret formula"—these entrepreneurs share the same traits that we can possess in our daily lives.

As an entrepreneur yourself, my guess is you have a huge crush on a fellow entrepreneur.

We all do. We want to be more like them, and to have their network and knowledge and happiness. You strive to be just like them, right?

But have you ever thought about what makes a successful person successful? Do they share certain habits, or is it all down to luck or a secret formula you’ve yet to discover? I’ll give you a hint… it has nothing to do with luck or a secret formula, but I learned this the hard way, struggling through the first few years of my entrepreneurial journey and how to succeed in business.

Lucky for me, I interviewed A LOT of inspiring individuals whilst I did, unearthing what makes successful people successful. And this is what I’d like to share with you today:

6 habits almost every successful entrepreneur has in common

How you can implement these positive habits into your daily-day

Actual case studies on how to succeed in business, and a very special gift at the end of this post.

You see, successful entrepreneur are human-beings like you and me. They weren’t born into greatness. They weren’t destined for it. They’ve worked hard for it, and learned what it means to be successful.

This is your chance to fast-track your journey and avoid the stumbles and falls I made myself.

1: THEY DEFINE WHAT SUCCESS MEANS TO THEM

The biggest difference between successful people and those not-quite-there-yet, is successful people appreciate what success means to THEM.

When Marianne Cantwell first started her business, she dressed like she thought she had to and based everything she did around what worked for other successful people. She assumed if she could do it like them but just a tiny bit better, clients, money, and success would follow. IT DIDN’T, and it wasn’t until Marianne focussed on what makes her special that she transformed Free Range Humans into what it is today. Most entrepreneurs I meet don’t appreciate what success means to them. They know they want more than they have, but when I ask them to dig deeper and tell me what that is, they stumble into silence Whereas Successful People… they know what success means to THEM. They can tell you in an instant.

Turndog Tip: Imagine you have a billion dollars… write down how you would spend the rest of your life.

2: THEY BALANCE PASSION WITH PURPOSE

Dave Conrey once said, “Passion alone isn’t enough. You need to balance this with real purpose in order to find success.” You want to work on projects that light a fire within you and build a business around something you love. This should remain your goal, but successful entrepreneurs appreciate their passion has to serve a purpose for a specific group of people. Your future customers need you, but before you get to serve them you must first fulfil a purpose. What is this? How can you balance what you love with something that offers a real purpose to those you serve?

Turndog Tip: In less than 100 words, define your audience and what it is you offer that helps & serves them. This is YOUR secret into how to succeed in business.

3: THEY SHARE THEIR PAIN

When Dan Miller lost his business and owed the IRS A LOT of money, you might assume he hid in a corner from everyone, embarrassed to come out. Oh no, you see Dan’s a successful person who appreciates how important it is to let people in, be honest with them, and share your pain. As an entrepreneur, you’ll never be able to fix everything on your own. You need your staff and mentors and customers and friends, and the more you share with them (especially when it’s hard and painful), the easier it is to transform a bad situation into a good one.

Dan rebuilt his business and created a life of happiness and freedom, but only after he shared a great deal of pain with those around him

Turndog Tip: Arrange a drink with a friend and tell them something about your business that scares you/keeps you up at night

4: THEY FOCUS ON THEIR HEALTH

Imagine you have a large to-do list and not enough time, and although the entrepreneur who works 18-hours each day may seem romantic, I’ve yet to meet a successful person who lives this way.

Ari Meisel used to be one of these people, working far too hard and neglecting his health. After developing Crohn’s Disease, he changed his business and lifestyle, outsourcing as much as he could and trimming his client list. For the first time in years, he focussed on his health and his mental wellbeing, and not only did he defeat his Crohn’s Disease, he became a renowned author, speaker, and consultant (in other words, he learned how to succeed in business). No matter what your business involves, YOUR health remains the most important aspect of it at all times. Successful people appreciate this. Those who aren’t, don’t.

Turndog Tip: Create two columns… in one estimate how much time you spend working each week. In the other, note the exercise and quiet time you have. Do you consider this well-balanced?

5: THEY SAY YES TO OPPORTUNITY BUT NO TO WORK

As an entrepreneur searching for how to succeed in business, you’ll come across new ideas each day. It’s easy to lose focus, and it’s even easier to drift towards the almighty dollar and say yes to one more client and just one more project.

The unsuccessful person says no to opportunity because they can’t see what’s on the other side of it. Instead, they say yes to more work because it’s easy to measure. But successful entrepreneurs say no to more work, instead reserving their yes for new opportunities. Michael O’Neal taught me this, sharing how he only found success after he refused to work for an hourly wage. It meant a lot of lost work, but it’s the new opportunities that lead him towards success.

Turndog Tip: Spend the rest of today saying yes to as many opportunities, invites, and conversations as you can.

6: THEY EMBRACE THEIR MISTAKES & FAILURE

Although you don’t start a business with the aim to make mistakes or fail, successful entrepreneurs appreciate this happens regardless.

They don’t fear it and they don’t panic when it happens. They embrace these failures, and understand they offer the opportunity to transform their idea into something far better.